Our History
The Start of Successful Partnerships
In 1972, Anesthesia Associates of Charleston incorporated when six Anesthesiologists banded together to improve anesthesia services at the Roper and St. Francis Xavier downtown hospitals. These Anesthesiologists brought to Roper Hospital expertise in Cardiothoracic Anesthesia, Obstetrical Anesthesia, and Pain Management.
The legacy of these Anesthesiologists, John G. Gatgounis Ph.D., MD, J. Ray Ivester MD, Dale Lackey MD, Robert Linker MD, Will Middleton MD, and Sam Witherspoon MD, has grown and expanded to this day.
In 1994 with a merger with Anesthesiologists of Charleston, AAOC grew to 22 Anesthesiologists with the mission to provide complete anesthesia services and meet the needs of all of the facilities in which we work, including manpower and administrative needs.
Over the past 16 years, AAOC has grown to 45 Anesthesiologists, with special training in Pediatric Anesthesia, Critical Care, Cardiac Anesthesia, Obstetric Anesthesia, and Pain Management.
The present members and alumni include several Roper Board members, one Chairman of the Roper Board, Members of the Executive committee of Roper Hospital, and the Medical Directors of Roper Ambulatory Surgery Center, James Island Surgery Center, Roper-West Ashley Surgery Center. Our members are very active in the Medical Staff committee system and have trained extensively for this responsibility.
Mission Statement
Our Commitment
AAOC is committed to providing our patients, surgeons, hospitals, and community with excellent care in all areas of our specialty. We will provide this care without regard to ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, age, or financial considerations. We will attempt to meet the individual needs of our patients. We will support the hospital system with expert guidance and administrative service. As a group, we will encourage excellence from our membership.
Practice Areas
Where We Cover
Roper Hospital
Founded in 1829 as the first community hospital in the Carolinas, Roper Hospital builds on a long legacy of excellence. Today Roper Hospital is one of the most trusted names in the Lowcountry. As a not-for-profit hospital, we strive to serve the entire Lowcountry community using cutting-edge technology and nationally recognized best practices.
Roper Mount Pleasant Hospital
Roper St. Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital is your community hospital providing care with a personal touch. Our hospital is nestled among protected woodlands just off Hwy. 17 North near Wando High School. Roper Mount Pleasant provides an efficient space for a full suite of hospital and ambulatory services including General/Colorectal Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Orthopedic, Urologic, Gynecological, GI Endoscopy, and Radiological/Diagnostic Procedures.
James Island Surgery Center
A Roper Hospital affiliated ambulatory surgery center conveniently located on Folly Road near the intersection with Maybank Highway. JISC focuses on ambulatory Plastic and Orthopedic surgery.
West Ashley Eye Center
Located just off Savannah Highway in the West Ashley community is a Roper-affiliated center providing outpatient Ophthalmic care. The services provided include Retinal, Corneal, and Oculoplastic Surgery.
Physicians Eye Center (PESC)
PESC is a state-of-the-art Ophthalmology ambulatory surgery center (ASC) on the Southside of Charleston near The Glenn McConnell and 526 junctions.
Center for Advanced Surgery (Ladson, SC)
CAS is an ambulatory surgery center located in Ladson, South Carolina. This state-of-the-art facility specializes in ophthalmic, orthopedic hand, neuro-spine surgeries, and pain management.